Blog of cartoonist Terry Beatty. Terry's credits include THE BATMAN STRIKES, MS. TREE and SCARY MONSTERS magazine. Recent work includes THE ADVENTURES OF UNEMPLOYED MAN, RETURN TO PERDITION and King Features' THE PHANTOM. This blog is devoted to his work and whatever pop culture imagery he finds of interest. Visit his website at www.terrybeatty.com

Sunday, November 24, 2013

The Phantom/Mandrake crossover comes to a conclusion. Next week -- a new adventure!

When I requested that we team up these two classic Lee Falk King Features heroes -- who'd never had an extended adventure together in the Phantom strip (they had done so in the final Mandrake Sunday continuity some years back) -- I had no idea the daily Mandrake strip would cease new production as our tale was seeing print. Fred Fredericks, who had drawn the Mandrake feature for 46 years(!) decided it was time to step down -- leaving the Phantom team to produce what may be the magician's swan song in the Sunday comic section.

I know King has plans for Mandrake -- but at the moment they don't seem to involve new strips for print -- so this is a farewell of sorts to Falk's Mandrake and Narda -- gesturing hypnotically on the comics page since 1934. Well, at least they're on vacation....